Johnsville Garage (Standard Oil) nearest the intersection. Doberstien's new grocery store located to the south of the garage. The garage was operated by the Art & Emmet Bonde. Originally built in 1926 and operated by Henry Trost who died in the mid/late 1950's. The large garage addition on the north side extended around the rear of the original building and burned in the late 1970's and was subsequenty demolished returning the building to its original 1926 appearance. Both businesses are now gone, demolished to first widen Hwy. 242 and subsequently allow for an overpass above Hwy. 65.

I grew up in the Ostman Fair Oaks neighborhood just north of here from 1963-1976. I could not even count how many times my sisters and I walked or rode our bikes to Doberstein’s store. Mrs. Doberstein was the sweetest lady! And the brothers next door, once I got my license and started driving, I got my gas from Art and Emmett and they would let me charge my gas until payday if I was short. It was horrible the night of the fire! Many, many people showed up, but could do nothing except watch. It was a Phillip 66 station at the time. Just two later I found myself serving lunch in the executive dining room at Phillips Petroleum Company headquarters in Bartlesville, Oklahoma. Going back to the area now, it is totally unrecognizable. The closer I get to my old house the more I recognize.

I wrote the above before I had an account, (Durenda Oppegard Zamarron). I came back to this very spot with my kids, you know to show them where I grew up, only to eat at the McDonald’s that has taken its place. We did get into the neighborhood and found the house I grew up in. That’s a plus.